Democratic Republic of the Congo

2010

One out of 10 delegates participating this week in U.S. President Barack Obama's Young African Leaders Forum was a journalist. The forum, a U.S. initiative meant to spark discussions on the future of Africa in a year when 17 countries on the continent are celebrating 50 years of nationhood, did not overlook freedom of the press, as I witnessed in its final event on Thursday at Washington's museum of news, the Newseum.

CPJ has joined with African press freedom groups to urge African leaders to end repression of the media as they celebrate 50 years since the end of colonial rule. We will publish a series of blogs this week by African journalists reflecting on the checkered history of press freedom over that period.

This year is the 50th anniversary of independence for many countries in sub-Saharan Africa from colonial powers France and Belgium. To mark the event, French President Nicholas Sarkozy has invited African leaders to Paris for the July 14Bastille Day celebrations. One thing that hasn’t changed much in the last half a century is that the presidents and prime ministers on the Champs Elysees reviewing stand can rest assured that media back home will dutifully report on their speeches and appearances.

Tags:

Today, May 3, is World Press Freedom Day. But on this day,
this year, I am not thinking about the dangers for the many journalists whose
bylines I’ve come to associate with places like Mogadishu or Manila, Kabul or
Islamabad. It’s not because I don’t have immense respect for them and for the
risks they take to bring their readers essential reports from some of the most
dangerous corners of the world. I do.

Tags:

Didace
Namujimbo, a journalist for Radio Okapi,
was shot
dead on the night of November 21, 2008. Now, after repeated delays, a military
court in Bukavu,
capital of the province
of South Kivu in eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo, is putting on trial a dozen people charged in
connection with the murder.